Printing press



April 15, 1930. 5 f E. A WALLER.

PRINTING PRESS Filed Nov. 1,' 1928 2 sheetssheet 1 April 15, 1930. 'El A. vWALLER i v 1,75453'79" P RINTING PRESS Filed Nov. 1, 1928` 2Y sheets-sheet l2v Patented Apr. 15, 1930 ITED STATES Y EDWARD A. WALLER, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS PRINTING PRESS Application led November lo doing bothoifset or transfer and direct or regular letterpress work, the practicalaccomplishment of which has hitherto been 'unknown The main objects of this invention are to provide a better printing method, and also means of improved form more aptly adapted to assure speed, `cool operation, non-shrinkage of the paper and proper registry of the successive colors as the web passes through Z0 the press; to provide for improved and quick acting drying means and for eliminating all heating means for drying, such as steam drums and gas and electrlc heaters and 'the like, which under this invention are unnecessary; to provide for plural deck construction, whereby to enhance compactness, facilitatecontrol and save in floor space and operatingieost; to rovidc for accommodating, in such a press, oth offset and direct printing methods; and to better insure against fires by eliminating gas for heaters and avoiding evaporation of combustible gases from the ink. A particular further object is to increase the press speed to that of ordinary newspaper presses, which is about treble that of present day color presses.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown by the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is mainly a conventional diagram showing the operative relation of such parts of a double deck ,printing press as are concerned with this invention, and also the course of the paper web and the blotter therefor. I

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail showing the left-hand lower and upper printing units of 4the press illustrated in Fig. 1, this view being partly in vertical section and designed to show particularly the gearing.

i, was. serial No. 316,430.

F ig. Bis a perspective View of the rolls of `the printing unit shown in the upper part of `tail of one of the lower units of Fig. 1 'illustrat'ing the course of the paper and the blotter for direct letterpress printing as dis-Y tinct fromthe offset or transfer method indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring first to the comprehensive diagram of Fig. 1, the paper supply rolls 1 are mounted as usual for presses o f the general character described. These rolls are readily movable into place successively so as to avoid delays in the feed of the paper.

rlhe web or sheet 2 is fed uniformly therefrom by the constantly driven friction drive belt 3 which is also of usual design. The web 2 passes first over the idle roll 4 which is spring mounted, as usual, and thence to the belted compensator device 5 having rolls 6 and acompensator proper 7. This compensator is substantially like the one described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 264.701, filed March 26, 1928, particular reference being had to page 10 and to F ig. 2 thereof. This compensator' includes a belt 8 on which the web 2 rides.

rflience the web passes over a. series of idle rollers 9 and on into the first of a series of eight color printing units 10, identiiied as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. The web 2 enters downwardly between the rubber oifsct or transfer roll 11 and the adjacent hard blanket'roll or platen 12, where the irst impression appied. It then passes around the under side of roll 12 and up between said roll and the next adjacent hard roll 13.

lin order that the roll 11 shall print on web 2, as the latter passes said roll, an etched intaglio roll 14, provided with appropriate doctor blade means 15, and dipping in an ink fountain 1G, is caused to coact with roll 11 and thereby print transfer impressions thereon which in. turn are carried over and applied by roll 11 to the web.

In order to quickly dry the ink impression applied by roll 11, consistently with high speed operation, asmudge sheet or blotter strip 17 is caused to come in contact with the wet side of web 2 as it passes between rolls 12 and 13, this blotterfbeing fed into the unit between the printed paper and roll 13. This blotter preferably follows the web 2 up ovei' roll 12 and around still another hard roll 18 and thence downwardv around the opposite side of roll 13. From this printing unit,.i't is carried on appropriate idlers 9 to the next printing unit. .fIf preferred, as Amay be desired in some cases, the blotter 17 may pass merely around the roll 13 without continuing up and around roll 18.

From roll 18 web 2 passes to another idler or carryingl roll 5), and another compensator 7, such as described in my Patent No. 1,643,- 324, dated September 27, 1927. Thence it passes over other idlers 9 and into the next printing unit which is similar to die first unit, above described. p

Itis to be understood, as apparent from the drawings, that the paper web 2 and the blotter 17 continue in their respective courses through all four of the lower deck units in which four colors, for instance, yellow, red, blue and black, are printed on one side of the sheet.

From the fourth unit ofthe lower deck, web 2, printed on one side, passes around appropriate idlers and upwardly to the first unit of the upper deck where the reverse side of the web is presented to the soft transfer roll 11. The web is advanced through all four upper deck units substantially as described for the lower deck. A separate blotter 17 is here shown for the upper deck, although if desired a common blotter strip may be provided for both decks as hereinafter more fully described.

In either event a blotter roll 19, mounted as will be apparent from the drawings, gradually unwinds and then, after passing through the press, the blotter 17 is wound up, as illus- -trated at the lower right-hand corner of Fig.

1. and also at the left end of the upper` deck. Here the take-up mechanism includes a pair of pulling rollers 20 and a. gear 21. The frame is piovided with vertical slots 22 to accommodate the shaft which receives the roll 23 of used blotter strip. 11s this roll enlarges, the axis rises in the slots 22 as will be understoefl Vhen a single blotter strip is used for both decks, that is to say for all eight units, it starts as shown `at the upper right-hand corner of Fig. 1, is conducted downward,-as indicated at 26 at the left side of Fig. 1, and is wound up, as indicated at the lower righthand corner of said figure.

The process. specifically shown and above described, is known as the offset or transfer" method as distinct from the direct letterpress method.

etched intaglio cylinder 14 and the roll 11, l where the color impression is applied directly to the paper from the etched member. The paper then passes upward between rolls 11 and 12 and thence between rolls 12 and 18. It

lthen passes over an idler 9 and on past the corresponding compensator 7 to the next unit,

substantially as in the transfer method. It

is to be noted, however, that the blotter sheet in this instance enters upwardly between the rolls 11 and 12 and then downwardly between the rolls 12 and 13, being thus brought briefly into effective drying contact with the printed web'2 which lies between the blotter and rolls 11 and 18.

It is to be understood that doctor blades 15 have to be provided on both sides of roll 14 and that these are tiltably mounted in any appropriate manner so as to be effective alternatively, accordingto the direction of rotation of roll 14 for direct and transfer work respectively.

In order to accommodate reversal of the rolls, appropriate gear shiftingmeans are provided, as illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.'

Here the main drive. shaft 27,l operated continuously in its one direction by any appropriate source of power, serves to drive all eight color units of the press. This is accomplished by means of four upright shafts 28 opposite each of the four vertically paired sets of printing units. Each shaft 28 at its lower end has a bevel gear 29 to mesh with corresponding bevel gears 30 and 31 on shaft 27, the latter gears being movable lengthwise of shaft 27 for alternative engagement with gear 29, depending upon the desired direction of rotation for shaft 28.

Said shaft 28 extends upward through 0r past the lower deck 32 and the upper deck 33 whereon two mutually corresponding sets of four printing units are mounted. Each Shaft 28 has a lower bevel gear 34 for engaging the lower edge of a corresponding gear part 25 of a stub gear 8G. This latter gear also has a spur gear part 37 to engage corresponding gears 88 and 39 on rolls 14 and 12 respectively. rlie gear 25) also coacts with corresponding gears 40 and 41 on rolls 13 and 18respectively.

.iuother bevel gear 42 is mounted on the upper i, rt of shaft 28 to engage the upper edge of another stub gear similar to that I fitti attain accurate mutual. color registry, thisI `condition of registry normally holds in edect,

Without further attention. during the entire current run; and this condition is not affected tl e lifting of the rolls 1l out of contact rolls l2 and la, incident to occasional ing of the press. This condition is asd by reason of the vveb being held positively at all times between roll l2 and rolls lil and 18 of each unit these units are all geared 'together positively as above debed, so 'that regis is held regardless i, Whether the rolls Ztl are in squeeze7 -or ont of scp'ieeserl `i7lhenever the press stopped for any reason, it is necessary to lift the rubber transfer "liti rolls il out of squeeze, respecting rollsld and l2, so as to avoidv having dats9 become set in the rubber face roll il and more especially. to avoid g the int? with roll lit in contact at any' point..

Vlhe press as described. provides for holding the vvepV 2 snugly banded abou:L the interred rolls, heeping the sheet u perfect stretch. it no time` can the printed sheet release itself or slaclren or get out of reg istry'. Heretefore when color presses were stopped .it usual to loosen a number of prints, sometimes several hundred, before the web could be gotten nto color registry.

@ne thing about this invention which ll would especially emphasize is the adaptabilM ods and presses, and also means better printsf another feature which l would stress is the avoidance of shrinlrage and warping in the vvcb 2. lt accomplish this by eliminating all heaters for ldrying the prints, having introduced a blotter strip or smut sheet to dry' the Web instantly and Wit `cut heat.. rlhis permits the double declr arrangement described, which 'the c oncentrad drying heat in former presses rendered inipracti cable, as such high heat would unduly heat the entire press'and especially e `etched rolif i4, and consequen'tiy dry inlr too fa t on the rolls ll and la and ,gu1ning and defective.printing, especially' in fer wordt.

the inks is avoided. rlfhis insures against lires and gas explosions.

Some of the chief advantages of this dual process relate to economy, speed, quality of service and perfection of product equal to that of high speed newspaper presses.

Although Vonly two specific embodiments of this invention are herein shown and described, it isvto be understood'that no attempt has been made to show all practical forms of embodiments and that some of the details of the constructions shown may be altered or omitted Without de arting from the spirit of this invention as ehned by the following claims.

l claim: i

it. A printing press adapted for quick drying 'of the impression. and comprising an intaglio cylinder, an odset cylinder journaled in direct peripheral 'engagement With Asaid intaglio cylinder, a platen cylinder bearing against said oliset cylinder for pressing a web of paper thereagainst, a drying element disposed against a portion of the printed web on said platen cylinder, and mutually spaced rolls bearing against said lweb and drying member and against said `platen cylinder at spaced intervals.

' 2. .d printing press adapted for quick dryin of the Work, and'comprising an etched cy inder, an impression transfer roll journaled in peripheral frictional engagement with said etched cylinder, a platen roll bearing against said impression roll for pressing a Web of paper thereagainst, a plurality of rolls for feeding a drying web into engagement vvith the printed surface of said firstmentioned Web, and drying rolls bearing against said platen-roll for pressing said vvebs together therebetween at spaced intervals.

3. ln a printing press, an etched roll, a source of ink for said roll, a transfer roll bearing'against said etched roil, a platen roll bearing against said transfer roll, means for selectively feeding a web of paper alternatively between said etched roll and said transfer roll or between said transfer roll and said platen yroll for effecting direct or transfer printing respectively, drying rolls bearing against said platen roll, and means for feeding the drying web betvveen the "first-mein tioned Web and said drying rolls.

4. ln a multiple color printing press, spaced printing units, each comprising a transfer roll, means forforming impressions thereon, platen roll, a dryin. roll, means associated `With each unit for eeding a paper vveb between the platen roll and the trans* fer roll thereof, and means associated vvith each unit for feeding a drying element betvveen said web and the drying roll.

5. lnV a multiple color printing press, spaced printing units, each comprising an f impressible roll, means for forming impressionsthereon, platen roll. an odset drying liti roll, means associated with each unis lor feeding a web of paper between the imprcssible roll and the platen roll of each unit, anc` means for continuously feeding a common drying element between 'the platen roll and the drying roll of each unit successively.

6. In a multiple color printing press, spaced printing units, each comprising an im pressiblc roll, means for forming impressions thereon, a platen roll, an offset dr'"ing roll, means associated with each unit for feeding paper web between the platen roll and the impressible roll thereof, a drying member comprising a web positioned between -said drying rolls and the furet-mentioned web,

means for guiding said paper web from oneI printing unit to the next successive unit, said drying web being disposed in a convolution over the drying roll of each unit for guiding the drying web away from said paper web before the latter is passed between the irnpressible roll and the platen roll of each next unit successively, and means for feeding said drying web between the drying roll and th paper web in each unit successively.

7. In a multiple color printing per and lower series of spaced printif i. f

each unit comprising an impressible` roll, means for forming an impression thereon, a platen roll bearing against said impressible roll, a drying roll associatedwith said platen roll, means for feeding a continuous paper web between the impressible roll and the platen roll of successive units of both of said series, an individual drying member for each series of units, and `means for feeding each .drying member between the paper web and the drying rolls of corresponding successive units.

8. In a multiple color printing' press, upn per and lower series of spaced printing units,

each unit comprising an impressible roll,`

means for forming an impression thereon, a platen roll bearing against the impressible roll, a drying roll associated with the platen roll, means for feeding a paper web between the impressible roll and the platen roll of suc cessive units of both series, a drying member comprising a continuous web of blotting ma; terial extended between the paper web and the drying rolls of each unit of said upper' and lower series successively, means for passing said drying member between the drying rolls and the platen rolls of the several units simultaneously with said paper web and 'to guide the same apart from tlml latter in^i1nediately before the paper web is passed'between the impressible roll and the 'platen rollof the next unit.

Signed at Chicago this 30th day of Qclrii' I ber, 1928. 4 EDVARD A. 'WALlJER 

